Program Overview

Diploma in Design Foundation Studies

The Diploma in Design Foundation Studies encourages innovation and experimentation, while providing students with the creative, artistic, historical, and academic foundation upon which they can build their responsible contributions to their respective field. Providing an extensive education in art, design, and digital media practice, history, theory, and criticism, the course fosters a critical and creative exploration of traditional and emerging forms of visual communication practices which cut across physical and digital environments.

Course Overview

The course is designed to provide students with a period of time and space dedicated to creative practice as part of a community of developing art, design, and media students and lecturing faculty. This allows students to be enlightened in understanding the breadth and range of traditions, ideologies, and modern-day thought.

Program Details

• MQF Level: 5
• Duration and Credits: 1 Year, 60 ECTS
• Mode of Study: Full-time

Year 1 Curriculum

Semester 1

• Compulsory Units:
  • VSA1901: Visual Design Tools 1 (14 ECTS)
  • VSA1991: 20th Century Art and Culture 1 (4 ECTS)
• Elective Units: Students are required to choose a total of 12 ECTS credits from the following elective study-units:
  • BEN1004: Landmarks of Cultural Development (4 ECTS)
  • VSA1921: Introduction to Painting Techniques (4 ECTS)
  • VSA1923: Composite Spaces (4 ECTS)
  • VSA1951: Introduction to the Art of Etching (4 ECTS)
  • VSA1961: Introduction to Printing (4 ECTS)
  • VSA1973: Introduction to Digital Imaging Tools (4 ECTS)
  • VSA1976: Typography (4 ECTS)

Semester 2

• Compulsory Units:
  • VSA1902: Visual Design Tools 2 (14 ECTS)
  • VSA1992: 20th Century Art and Culture 2 (4 ECTS)
• Elective Units: Students are required to choose a total of 12 ECTS credits from the following elective study-units:
  • VSA1922: Painting 1 (4 ECTS)
  • VSA1931: Photographic Imaging and Processing (4 ECTS)
  • VSA1941: Introduction to the Plastic Arts (4 ECTS)
  • VSA1962: Fine Art Printmaking 1 (4 ECTS)
  • VSA1971: Interface Design (4 ECTS)
  • VSA1974: Introduction to 3D (4 ECTS)
  • VSA1975: Digital Toolset (4 ECTS)
  • VSA1981: Introduction to Architectural Modelling (4 ECTS)

Requirement for the Award of Diploma

The requirement for the award of the Diploma in Design Foundation Studies is 60 ECTS credits.

Governance

This programme of study is governed by the General Regulations for University Undergraduate Awards, 2019, and by the Bye-Laws for the award of the Diploma in Design Foundation Studies under the auspices of the Faculty for the Built Environment.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successfully completing the course, students will have:

• Developed their visual literacy, visual communication skills, and visual design fundamentals.
• Developed their cognitive skills (thinking and learning skills).
• Developed their human communication skills (self-confidence, awareness, interpersonal relations, team-work).
• Developed their language communication skills (oral and written English).
• Been introduced to a limited number of 'Knowledge-based' skills specific or complementary to the art and design practices the students wish to specialise in.

Tuition Fees for Non-EU Applicants

The total tuition fees for non-EU applicants are Eur 10,800.

Note

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